Malefizio Screenplay. Script
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FADE IN EXT. NEW YORK CITY - LATE EVENING It’s late fall with daylight almost gone. We see Manhattan’s tall structures from a bird’s eye view with glittering lights shaping the city’s dusky outline... the view steep-drops in a vertiginous fall landing on the fast moving crowd on Lexington... The strident traffic competes with the throng moving madly in a frenzied race to beat the evening news. I/E. SUBWAY ENTRANCE - NIGHT MARK MILLER, a young artist, stark and lean walks up the subway stairs carrying a portfolio, he’s on his way to see his art dealer... sees people stumbling on each other in their dart against time... He’s not in a rush. Out of nowhere a young woman flashing a long colorful skirt and dinky shawl slices down through the subway crowd -- winks Mark with a swift-piercing glance and continues her dive... Dazzled, he eye-tracks her until she disappears in the underground labyrinth... left wondering, wants to go after her- better not- shrugs, and continues ascending the few steps left before mixing with the hurrying multitude. EXT. UPPER EAST SIDE ON LEXINGTON - NIGHT A mid-upper class Manhattan apartment building with a modest sign in its first level that reads: FOSS ART GALLERY Before going in, Mark peeps through the front door glass panels to see if his “marchant” is there... He’s there. INSIDE THE GALLERY JACOB FOSS, an old Jewish art merchant, wealthy and ascetic, lives and works in the same premise. He believes strongly that Mark has no future in art as long as he sticks to just one subject: FEMALE INCISIVE EYES. 2. Mark slithers in... warning door bells TINKLE as he swings the door open... finds him researching over a painted linen. MARK Hi Jacob. Jacob peering through a magnifying lens halts his close inspection of a painting and shifts to look... he moans. JACOB (blunt) Oh, it’s you... if you come for money you’ll have to wait till tomorrow... I’m busy now. MARK Sorry Jacob, I can’t, I’m on the edge. JACOB Than jump, it’ll save me from not having to see you again. Mark unzips his portfolio. MARK First you’ve gotta see this one, it’s hot, enticing to the eye... JACOB (indifferent) Just put it anywhere you want, I’ll look at it later... (mumbling) A new pair of enchanting eyeballs I presume. MARK (overhearing) Not exactly Jacob, this visual effect you’ve gotta see- it unleashes an emotional glee that might be of acute interest for a man with your artistic vision. Jacob skews, moans and... fires back. JACOB (a beat) So look at what we have here now. (MORE) 3. JACOB (CONT'D) The city slicker thinking he’s Van Gogh...! Get this straight Mark. Your tender blossom is not work me over this time- Of course the master was universal, you- you’re just too focused... too fixated- thinking that the world is just one huge eyeball! Uncoils out of his chair... approaching slowly. JACOB (CONT’D) You think, because you’re a few decades younger than me, (now howling) YOU CAN OUTSMART ME! MARK No Jacob, I didn’t mean that. Jacob blurs the magnifying lens with his breath... rubs it clean with his hankie. JACOB (mellows down) The problem with you Mark is that you’re not realistic, Why... look at you, penniless, always on the edge, to use your same words... and look at me! I don’t have that kind of problem. MARK How can you, the only worry you have is feeding your bank account. JACOB (now disturbed) That’s another thing with you, (loud) YOU SHOW NO RESPECT! MARK Jacob please... your pump, (points to his chest) I don't wanna be held responsible in case something happens to you. Puts the lens away... Now he fumes unleashing total wrath. 4. JACOB (steaming indignation) My pump, you ocular-beamed maniac, has been pumping blood for me to safe-guard my health against people like you throughout my whole entire existence! So don’t come in my place thinking there's more sense in your head than mine, (soothing) If it’s a brain what you have in your hollow skull! MARK Sure Jacob, don’t let out the grudge now, just make the usual appraisal and give me what you think it’s worth. Turns his back. JACOB Just how many fucking eyeballs you think you’re gonna stack me up with, peeping, glaring, beaming! No more, no sir! I’ve had enough of your unproductive shit! (a beat) Besides, your stubborn bias isn't gonna get you anywhere. MARK Please Jacob I’m three months overdue in my rent and I’ve gotta pay or... find a park bench to sleep tonight. Jacob picks up the lens and looks through for transparency. JACOB It’s not my problem. Mark makes his move. MARK Yes it is, or- wouldn’t be, if you’d just sell my work more regularly. Jacob shoots back. 5. JACOB You think, vending art is like selling a hot frank in a bun at lunch time? (furious) Especially your junk! Only a queer from the Village Voice seems to relish your fixed popping eyeballs. I certainly don’t. MARK At least there’s someone wiser. JACOB Yeah, a dick sucking hedonist if that's your idea of a wiz. MARK Anyway, they’re not protruding eyeballs Jacob, you’re missing the concept. JACOB Call it whatever you like, your subject is biased, fixed, too limited for the market, MARK Listen, I don’t have to take your shit Jacob, just give me some of your spare cash and I’ll be on my way, JACOB Fine with me, if it’s shit what I give you, don’t come asking for it! Mark picks back his carpet and fakes he resents what he’s just heard. MARK (feigning) I think I’ll do that. Thanks anyway. Thinking he’s gone too far this time, Jacob softens his grudge. 6. JACOB Hey, hey... don’t take it too personal, I’m old and you’re young, you tease me, I shoot back... come on, show me what you have for me. Mark grins, opens his carpet (knowing he’s done it again) and displays his ocular art for Jacob. JACOB (CONT’D) (appraising) Hum... same old shit, I’d wish you wouldn’t be so heavy on the eyelashes, they... Mark is not listening. JACOB (CONT’D) Hey! Are you listening to me? MARK Huh? (comes back from his strayed thought) It so happens Jacob, that on my way here I came across into this femme with the most gazing pair of eyes... there’s something in the way she looks that... (records back) ) Man, if I could just get hold of someone with such eyes... JACOB That's another problem with you. You just can't keep your eyes of women, and not just their eyes... look at me again, I don’t have that kind of problem. To me, (a beat) Women are a sinister payload God inflicted upon man for his constant disobedience. MARK Jacob, Have you ever been with a woman? JACOB That’s my personal secret. 7. MARK Hush-hush. The only secret you have Jacob is how much there is in your cash vault while others like me starve. Resenting Mark´s lack of respect. JACOB What?... Don’t you have a speck of gratitude for me? You come in anytime you want to, interrupt my work, take my money and -- MARK (interrupting) -- Come on Jacob, not more of the same shit, just give me what you want, I’ve gotta go. JACOB If you can’t take my shit I don’t have to take your insolence!... (takes his time) Besides, I’ve got something for you. Jacob walks to his desk-- pans to both sides, making sure nobody is looking and extracts an amount of cash. JACOB (CONT’D) Here, A cell phone RINGS, Jacob hops -- goes for his right pocket, nothing -- goes for the other one, it’s there. SOLO OVER THE PHONE JACOB (CONT’D) Jacob here... (pause) Who did you expect sweetheart?... (pause) Aren’t these devices suppose to be personal? (pause) No sweetheart I don’t... (pause) I’ll let you know, Bye, bye. Ends the call. 8. MARK Who was that Jacob? JACOB The queer from the Voice, wants to know if there’s any artistic revelation he can write about, besides yours, of course. Puts back the cel phone in his pocket. JACOB (CONT’D) Anyhow, this is for you. I hope it’ll keep you away for some time. Blown away by the amount he’s receiving Mark stuns. MARK Why... Jacob! Why do I deserve this generosity? JACOB It’s not generosity, it’s business. Looks at Jacob with distrust. MARK Are you OK? Picks up the magnifying lens to resume his research. JACOB I sold one of your paintings a few days ago. MARK You did? I thought my art never sold. JACOB I do my best. MARK Jacob, you’re an angel. JACOB And you, the devil in person. Now get out. MARK Promise you won’t be seeing me for a while, take my word. 9. JACOB Don’t want your word, just make sure you take a month at least before you come back. Jacob resumes his inspection on the linen with his lens. Mark leaves the shop... the bells tinkle again. INT.